Portable universal personal storage, entertainment, and communication device

• US 10,084,644 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2013
• Issued: 09/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Tsern, Ely, Tsern, Megan, Mooring, David, Mooring, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Holland, Jenee
• Application Number:
  US14/060,572
• Publication Number:
  US 20140052834A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,799 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/26 having at least one additional display device, e.g. on the game controller or outside a game booth
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/327 using wireless networks, e.g. Wi-Fi® or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/52 Program synchronisation; Mutual exclusion, e.g. by means of semaphores
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0813 characterised by the conditions triggering a change of settings

Abstract

A method for synchronizing configuration states of a portable device across a plurality of computing platforms comprises associating a plurality of computing device platforms in a plurality of computing device types with a plurality of synchronization protocols; identifying a type of first computing device via a network; identifying a synchronization protocol associated with the computing device platform in the identified computing device; sending a configuration state from the portable device to the first computing device according to the identified synchronization protocol, and updating the configuration state according to user input on the first computing device; receiving an updated configuration state from the first computing device; translating the updated configuration state to a data format used by a second computing device platform in a second computing device; and storing the updated configuration state and the translated updated configuration state on the portable device.

Claims

1. On a portable device comprising a processor and a memory, a method for synchronizing configuration states across a plurality of computing platforms, comprising:

associating by data structures in the memory, a plurality of computing device platforms in a plurality of computing device types with a plurality of synchronization protocols;

identifying a type of a first computing device via a network;

identifying from a plurality of synchronization protocols, a synchronization protocol associated with a computing device platform of the identified type of the first computing device;

sending a configuration state from the portable device to the first computing device according to the identified synchronization protocol;

receiving an updated configuration state from the first computing device, the updated configuration state being based on a selection at the first computing device;

translating the updated configuration state to a data format used by a second computing device platform in a second computing device; and

storing the updated configuration state and the translated updated configuration state on the portable device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second computing devices do not share a common configuration state data format.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable device is configured to communicate using one of a plurality of network protocols, and wherein each synchronization protocol indicates a network protocol to be used for synchronization.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first computing device is a gaming console and the configuration state indicates a game state, and wherein the game state includes billing information, purchase history, or accessory download credits.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying step comprises using a lookup table associating the plurality of computing platforms with the plurality of synchronization protocols.

6. On a gaming console, a method for synchronizing configuration states to a portable device, comprising:

identifying a type of the gaming console to the portable device in a wireless range;

receiving from the portable device a descriptor of a remote configuration state stored on the portable device;

receiving user input indicating a selection between the remote configuration state and a local configuration state, the local and remote configuration states indicating respective local and remote game states;

receiving the remote configuration state from the portable device when the selection indicates the remote configuration state; and

storing the remote configuration state on the gaming console.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the local game state includes a representation of a first particular character or character attributes of the first particular character in first data format associated with a game played on a first game platform, and the remote game state includes a representation of a second particular character or attributes of the second particular character in a second data format associated with a game played on a second game platform and different than the first data format,

wherein storing the remote configuration state on the gaming console includes storing the representation of the second particular character or attributes of the second particular character in the first data format for gameplay on the first game platform.

8. A portable device for synchronizing configuration states across a plurality of computing platforms, comprising:

a memory element storing a data structure associating a plurality of computing device platforms in a plurality of computing device types with a plurality of synchronization protocols; and

a processor, the processor configured to;

identify a type of a first computing device via a network;

identify, from the plurality of synchronization protocols, a synchronization protocol associated with a first computing device platform in the first computing device;

send a first configuration state from the portable device to the first computing device according to the identified synchronization protocol;

receive an updated configuration state of the first configuration state from the first computing device, the updated configuration state being based on a selection at the first computing device;

translate the updated configuration state to a data format used by a second computing device platform in a second computing device; and

store the updated configuration state and the translated updated configuration state on the portable device.

9. The portable device of claim 8 where in the first and second computing devices do not share a common configuration state data format.

10. The portable device of claim 8, wherein the portable device is configured to communicate using one of a plurality of network protocols, and wherein each synchronization protocol indicates a network protocol to be used for synchronization.

11. The portable device of claim 8, wherein the first computing device is a gaming console and the configuration state indicates a game state, wherein the game state includes billing information, purchase history, or accessory download credits.

12. The portable device of claim 8, wherein the identifying step comprises using a lookup table associating the plurality of computing device platforms with the plurality of synchronization protocols.

13. A gaming console for synchronizing configuration states to a portable device, comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor, the at least one processor configured to;

identify a type of the gaming console to the portable device in a wireless range;

receive from the portable device a descriptor of a remote configuration state stored on the portable device;

receive user input indicating a selection between the remote configuration state and a local configuration state, the local and remote configuration states indicating respective local and remote game states;

receive the remote configuration state from the portable device when the selection indicates the remote configuration state; and

store the remote configuration state on the gaming console.

14. The gaming console of claim 13, wherein the local game state includes a representation of a first particular character or character attributes of the first particular character in first data format associated with a game played on a first game platform, and the remote game state includes a representation of a second particular character or attributes of the second particular character in a second data format associated with a game played on a second game platform and different than the first data format,

wherein storing the remote configuration state on the gaming console includes storing the representation of the second particular character or attributes of the second particular character in the first data format for gameplay on the first game platform.

15. On a portable device implementing a restriction policy on an availability of features of the portable device, a method for updating the restriction policy over a network, comprising:

determining a location of the portable device;

identifying the portable device to a server over the network;

based on the identified portable device, receiving a restriction policy update from the server wherein the restriction policy includes access limitations to device features and functionality based on time of day and device location and wherein the portable device uses the restriction policy to limit device functionality;

storing the restriction policy update on the portable device;

configuring, controlling and limiting access to various functions by a user of the portable device wherein the configuring, controlling and limiting access further comprises providing new content to the portable device;

updating availability of portable device features according to the received restriction policy update; and

providing, to the server, information on usage of the portable device and an amount of time spent using a given program.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the updated restriction policy is schedule based.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

updating a visual display of the portable device to indicate an updated feature availability.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein limiting access to various functions further

comprises:

limiting usage based on location of the portable device;

restricting application usage based on specific scheduled times;

restricting application usage after reaching certain usage time limits; and

limiting whom the portable device can connect to.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising at least one of:

setting a time limit on an amount of usage of a specific program associated with the portable device;

setting global time limits on programs that synchronize a game or character states with the portable device; and

setting a time limit for a game played across multiple gaming platforms synchronized by the portable device.

20. A portable device that updates restriction policies of a portable device over a network, comprising:

a memory storing a restriction policy on availability of portable device features; and

a processor configured to;

determine a location of the portable device;

identify the portable device to a server over the network;

receive a restriction policy update from the server based on the identified portable device, wherein the restriction policy includes access limitations to device features and functionality based on time of day and device location and wherein the device uses the restriction policy to limit device functionality;

store the restriction policy update on the portable device;

receive user input to configure, control and limit access to various functions of the portable device, wherein the received user input further comprises remotely providing new content to the portable device;

update availability of portable device features according to the received restriction policy update; and

provide information on usage of the portable device and an amount of time spent using a given program.

21. On a portable device comprising a processor and a memory, a method for synchronizing configuration states across a plurality of computing platforms, comprising:

associating by data structures in the memory, a plurality of computing device platforms in a plurality of computing device types with a plurality of synchronization protocols;

identifying a first computing device, having a first type of computing device platform, via a network;

identifying from the plurality of synchronization protocols, a synchronization protocol associated with the first type of computing device platform in the identified first computing device;

sending a configuration state from the portable device to the first computing device according to the identified synchronization protocol;

receiving an updated configuration state from the first computing device, the updated configuration state being based on a selection at the first computing device;

translating the updated configuration state to a data format used by a second type of computing device platform of a second computing device, the second type of computing device platform being different from the first type of computing device platform; and

storing the updated configuration state and the translated updated configuration state on the portable device.